Tenwinkel has been developing and producing concrete counterweights, molded concrete parts and technical components based on the original idea of company founder Heinrich Tenwinkel for 60 years. The world market leader in its industrial sector is now managed by the two managing directors, brothers Stefan and Markus Tenwinkel. The site in Vreden-Gaxel (Westphalia) produces front and rear weights for agricultural machinery, special ballast for construction machinery, for mechanical engineering and, more recently, crane test weights for customers in all areas of industry. The concrete weights are produced in individual or series production from ten kilograms up to 30 tons.

Bright yellow and impossible to miss on the company premises is a piece of equipment that was purchased specifically for handling ever larger products: the Combi-MG, a mobile gantry crane from the Irish manufacturer Combilift. "The type of customers that have come to us over the years, such as Liebherr, has influenced the dimensions and weights of our products, and as a result we have had to rethink our handling methods," says Stefan Tenwinkel.

"We had a pretty clear idea of what we wanted, we just had to find it. After some research, we came across the Mobile Gantry, the Combi-MG. The Combilift dealer in our area, K.M. Löhrmann Förder- und Lagertechnik, helped us to configure the machine, which was customized exactly to our individual requirements. We now have a flexible, mobile and perfectly suitable solution for lifting, moving and loading our loads, which is in use day in, day out."

The Combi-MG with a load capacity of 30 tons and LPG drive had advantages over the previous combination of a front forklift and an indoor crane. The forklift truck was only suitable for handling lighter products and the crane, as a fixed unit, offered little flexibility.

Despite its high lifting capacity, the Combi-MG takes up little space, can reach anywhere on the company premises and can even reach over the stored finished products. It copes well with different ground conditions such as gravel and asphalt as well as in all weather conditions. Ready-to-ship products, such as 14-tonne counterweights for Liebherr truck-mounted cranes, can simply be lifted over the transporter and loaded using the chains attached to the Combi-MG in the middle of the machine's frame.

To allow access to the production area, the dimensions of the Combi-MG were tailored precisely to the requirements at Tenwinkel. With a width of 4,750 millimetres and a height of 5,425 millimetres, it fits through the hall doors. The telescopic device with a maximum height of 7,725 millimetres also allows the Combi-MG to be used for positioning tools for production.

At peak times, with a daily production output of around 100 weights (around 18,000 to 20,000 units per year), fast, versatile handling is the order of the day. Stefan Tenwinkel: "The fast driving speed ensures a smooth process. Thanks to its design and maneuverability - with its multidirectional steering, it can turn on the spot - we can save space in the yard and move the large loads more safely than with the forklift. The remote control is intuitive after a short briefing and allows one-man operation - without the need for a guide - and ensures good all-round visibility." as